Fact Check: Viral Video of 16 Girls Rescued from Human Traffickers in South Africa is From 2016
Misleading Social Media Claims Circulate Old News as Recent Event
A viral video claiming to show a recent human trafficking rescue in South Africa actually documents a 2016 incident
Key Facts: A TikTok video circulating in April 2025 falsely presents a 2016 news report about 16 girls rescued from alleged human traffickers in Kempton Park, South Africa as recent news. While the rescue did occur, no official sources confirmed the perpetrators’ nationalities.
Video credit to: eNCA
The Viral Claim
A video widely shared on social media shows an eNCA news report about 16 young girls rescued after being “abused and starved.” The accompanying text claims “16 Girl rescued from Nigerian human trafficking kingpins in Kempton Park South Africa,” presenting it as breaking news.
The split-screen video shows the news report alongside a man reacting to the footage. It features officials from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks crime investigation unit.
What Really Happened
Our investigation found the original report aired on 15 July 2016. The details match: 16 South African girls were rescued in Kempton Park after months of kidnapping, drugging, and forced sex work.
While one victim mentioned being brought by “the Nigerians,” this was a single statement. News reports and the official SAPS statement didn’t confirm suspects’ nationalities. Other media coverage from 2016 similarly omitted this detail.
Why This Matters
This represents a common misinformation tactic where old videos are repurposed to generate outrage. Africa Check has debunked similar cases where crime-related footage is falsely presented as recent.
How to Spot Misinformation
- Use reverse image search tools to verify video origins
- Check official sources before sharing sensational claims
- Be skeptical of claims targeting specific nationalities without evidence
Africa Check investigates misleading claims like this regularly. If you encounter suspicious content, report it for verification.